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Five years after Ike, Galveston is still picking up the pieces

Nowhere was Hurricane Ike’s impact more evident than on Galveston Island, which had not seen such devastation since the hurricane of 1900. UTMB, which was heavily damaged, is now a symbol of the city’s resurgence. Efforts at the school to mitigate the impact of future storms range from extensive and expensive — using durable materials like concrete and fiberglass instead of wood and metal — to simple, like placing electrical outlets higher along walls. The school says it has a statewide economic impact of about $4 billion and supports 26,000 jobs. A new hospital will be ready to receive patients in 2016. The rebuilding of UTMB is a victory for the island and the state, Representative Craig Eiland said.